Cannabis growers and sellers involved in every level of New York's fledgling retail cannabis industry gathered at the Capitol Tuesday to rally for stricter enforcement on 'thousands' of unregulated pot sellers, as well as other legislation they said could help them weather a bumpy roll out of the new market.
The state passed laws regulating the recreational use and sale of cannabis two years ago, raising business owners' hopes that the industry would be ready to go within months.
Instead, the state's licensing framework has stalled. Only five licensed retail dispensaries have opened since cannabis was legalized for recreational use and final state regulations have yet to be released.
Farmers said the slow rollout of retail stores had hampered their profitability and endangered their businesses. Brittany Carbone, a Tioga County hemp farmer, said the most vulnerable and financially distressed farms are facing "a real and immediate threat."
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